Shannon Affholter is the executive director of the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties, the largest and oldest local homebuilders association in the nation. Previously, he was the vice president of business and economic development for Economic Alliance Snohomish County. While there, he advanced strategic growth plans, advocated on behalf of business and fostered economic development in the region. He also was elected to serve two terms on the Everett City Council.

Prior to his tenure at Economic Alliance Snohomish County, Affholter was a business development executive at the regional accounting firm of Moss Adams and an account executive with Merck. He holds an MBA from Western Washington University and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Pacific Lutheran University. In The Money Hour segment today, Shannon talks about how the demand for housing has significantly outpaced residential housing supply.

By Shannon Affholter, The Everett Herald

Despite numerous legislative efforts to find a permanent and balanced solution to address the Washington state Supreme Court's Hirst decision, lawmakers in Olympia remain deadlocked on the issue. Unfortunately, the legislature adjourned on Thursday without reaching an agreement.

The 2016 Hirst decision has effectively halted many people from building their homes in areas that depend on well water. The ruling has created a great deal of uncertainty for counties, rural communities, builders, and families across the state. As legislators leave town, the hardship on affected property owners will continue without being resolved.

By MBAKS Content Strategist James Slone

A home is not truly complete until its unique details are set in place. Crystalline shower doors, eye-popping accent walls, and ornate tile floors transform mere rooms into showpieces offering a lifetime of delights.

It’s not easy putting on the finishing touches. Tile, glass, and paint may be surfaces, but the work they require is anything but skin-deep. I spoke to three trades professionals to find out how they make functional spaces extraordinary.

Bath project showing off the painstaking work, masterful skill, and artisanal creativity that goes into Mohler Design’s vividly eye-catching tile creations. Photo credit: Cindy Apple Photography

Mohler Design—Striving for Happy Customers

There is nothing like a glimmering backsplash beckoning from the kitchen or intricately patterned entryway tiles inviting you home. Since 2001, Mohler Design has offered exquisitely detailed tiling services throughout the Seattle area that make everyday spaces stand out.

Founder Bill Mohler tells me that when he started the company in 2001, “It was just me and two other installers.” But skill, talent, and ambition quickly attracted a highly skilled team of craftspeople united by a passion for creating inspiring designs for kitchens, bathrooms, flooring, and an array of other surfaces.

“We pride ourselves on education and training and making sure all our [tile] setters are updated on current installation methods,” says Mohler. “We work with all types of tiles from classic to modern to genuinely unique designs.”

Custom work is a pleasure for Mohler Design and the company never lacks for exciting new projects. “We typically complete over 100 a year,” Bill explains. A project can require as few as one installer, or several if it’s a large custom build. Either way, “It is essential that we work together with other contractors to ensure that projects run smoothly and on time.”

For Bill, there’s never a dull moment working with individual homeowners or designers and builders on a diverse spectrum of projects. “Our projects can vary greatly in size and detail from a small backsplash to a large custom home build with tiling in multiple rooms.”

With two decades of experience and a reputation for excellence, Mohler Design has established strong working relations with the finest tile and stone distributors in the industry and have collaborated with top designers, builders, and general construction firms in the area.

Bill takes great pride in the company’s long-standing relationships throughout the community. “We have been honored,” he says, “to work on some very cool projects over these past 20 years.” Quite a few have netted significant accolades, including several Trades Excellence in Remodeling Awards from MBAKS.

Awards are great, says Bill, but they’re not the biggest motivator. “When all is said and done, we strive to ensure our clients are happy.”

Distinctive Glass—A Legacy in Glass

“We ask a lot of questions, listen carefully, and do our best to help the client get what they envision. It’s so fun to see [a client’s] dream bathroom completed with a really nice shower door or mirror. It puts that finishing touch on their home.” The effort involved is worth it but takes time.

“An average shower door takes about four to five weeks to fabricate, but some custom showers can take as long as eight. With sales, estimating, production, and installation, it takes seven to nine different people to finish an install. We complete about 15 per day.”

The company has a sixth sense for what the customer wants, and experience means they can deliver. “We have 10 employees who’ve been with us for 20 years,” says Brian. “What makes the company is the quality of people we have working with us.”

Brian’s passion for glass is a family legacy. “I’m a third-generation glass guy,” he says. “My father and grandfather were lifelong glass guys. Both of my boys are now in the industry and love it. My co-founder and business partner Dennis Vogt started in the 1970s.

“Dennis and I had a vision of being known for the highest-quality glass work in the state. We try very hard for that.” Now, says Brian, they’re doing it in more than one state.

A longtime Distinctive Glass employee Matt Dunston recently opened a new location in Arizona to bring the shop’s high-quality work to the Grand Canyon state. “It is doing very well, and we are excited about what the future will bring.”

Hedlund Painting put the finishing touches on this stunning Kirkland update with gorgeous interior and exterior paint that makes the home seem lighter than air.

Hedlund Painting—Picture-Perfect Finishes

A house is just a structure before you add paint. With vivid colors and tactile textures, Lynnwood-based Hedlund Painting transforms mere collections of floors, walls, beams, and ceilings into homes brimming with vibrancy and life.

Their luminous work has won numerous awards, including several Best of Houzz Awards and Angi Super Service Awards in 2019, 2020, and 2021.

Hedlund Painting doesn’t just paint. They offer a full range of services, including interior and exterior staining, cabinetry refinishing, millwork, drywall repair, and wall texturing—and they do it all on point. But the power of their work is about more than mere craft and artistry. It’s also a matter of pride.

The company’s success, says owner Christopher Whitman, lies in their dedication to customer service and quality results. With years of experience painting thousands of households, the company has developed highly efficient work processes that keep projects on-time and on-budget.

Their website declares, “We are not looking for a single job; we build relationships that last.” This is accomplished by “showing up when we say we will, respecting the job site and everyone we interact with, and by being honest and ethical.”

To ensure that the end result meets or exceeds client expectations, Hedlund maintains strong lines of communication with clients, emphasizing punctuality, cost-effective technique, and perfect finishes.

Whitman says that Hedlund’s team, both office and field staff, work closely together. “Office Manager Carmen oversees internal operations while Charlie, Rigo, and Zak provide estimates and other customer-facing services. Vince and Erika handle day-to-day field tasks such as scheduling the crews, material orders, and onsite customer relations. All in all, it’s a team effort and we strive to emphasize that to each other and our clients.”

From the moment they contact the client, Hedlund initiates a “very friendly and informative” process. “When conducting the walk-through, we provide the client a detailed and organized list of their requests and our tasks.” The client agrees to the work to be completed before a single brush is dipped.

“Upon agreement, the task list is given to the project managers who execute all the details and tasks discussed during the initial walk-through.” The work is always aligned with the customer’s wishes. What they dream up is what they get.

Christopher loves the process. “I have a lot of fun helping clients achieve the changes they’re looking for. Painting as a whole is a reasonably cost-effective way to make huge aesthetic changes in your home. I personally find making that connection on a personal basis very rewarding.”

For Hedlund Painting, that human connection is the real finishing touch.